Vending-machine.



W. G. TEMPLETON.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATIONFILED JUNE 18. 1911.

1,294,194." I Patented Feb.11,1919. 4 SHEETS$HEET W. G. TEMPLETON.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I8| I917.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

I I Illn III| Inn I vwemtoi CIN ozumf ms wmus W. G. TEMPLETON.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. 1911.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

m: uamm Ptrixs ca. Pnmurua wAsHINoYON. n. c

W. G. TEMPLETON.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man JUNE I8. 1917.

1,294,194. Patented Feb. H, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

snow 1130's Qvi Mwoo WILLIAM G. TEMPLETON, OF COLORADO SPRINGS,COLORADO.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Application filed June 18, 1917. Serial No. 175,440.

chine and more especially to that type of machine which is adapted, uponmanipulation of suitable release mechanism, to deliver stamps, coupons,tickets, or other similar articles. One of the essential objects of theinvention is the provision of a machine of large capacity andexceedingly efiicient construction which will successfully handle sucharticles when the latter are connected together, in the form of a sheetor sheets, and which will effect the delivery of said articlesindividually or in groups successively detached from the sheet or sheetsWith the above and other objects in v ew, the invention consists incertain combinations, arrangements and} constructions of partshereinafter described in a preferred form and particularly pointed outin the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine constructed inaccordance with the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the upper casing removed.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the vertical frame which supportsthe sheet of connected articles, the view being in a plane 7 indicatedby the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section of the machine on the line l-4 ofFig. 3, look ng toward the right hand side of the machine, as indicatedbythe. arrow.

Fig. 5 is a central vertical'section of the lower portion of the machinetaken substantially in the same plane as that of Fig. 4,

but looking toward the left.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the lower portion of the machine with thefront wall of the base casing'removed.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of the upper portion of the base casingtaken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the lower portion of the base casingtaken on the line 88 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through lower casing taken on the line 9-9of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a detail section on the line 1010 of Fig. 9.

Like characters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts. The machine adopted for illustrating the invention is onedesigned especially for the vending or delivery of stamps, and it isadapted for handling the ordinary sheets of stamps, such as are printedwith ten columns or vertical rows in a sheet. In the present specificembodiment, it is preferred that the machine deliver a number of stampsat each operation, although, as will hereafter appear, the machine maydeliver a single stamp at each operation without mechanical change. Thesheets of stamps are incorporated in the machine in a pile, one abovethe other, with the rows of stamps of the several sheets in registrywith each other, and at each operation of the machine a group of stampswill be detached from the pile of sheets and delivered to the personoperating the machine. For the purposes of the present application,however, it will be sufiicient to describe the machine as designed forhandling a single sheet of stamps which are detached individually fromsuccessive horizontal rows.

Before describing in detail the mechanism of the machine adopted forillustrating the invention, it may be stated briefly that the machineembodies sheet supporting and feeding means, consisting of a rotary drummounted on a vertical axis within a suitable upper casing. The sheet ofconnected articles or stamps is adapted to descend by gravity axially ofthe drum to position successive horizontal rows of the articles in thesheet, after the several articles of successive rows have been severedindividually. Provision is made for imparting a step-by-step rotation tothe drum to advance the articles of the lowermost horizontal rowsuccessively into the path of the severing mechanism, the feedingmovement taking place preferably during the return movement of the partsof the severing mechanism to their normal position. With thisarrangement, an article will be properly positioned for severing on thenext operation of the severing mechanism. It is, therefore, possible toemploy a greatly simplified severing mechanism, since only one set ofsevering knives is required, with the additional advantage that therelease mechanism by which the severing knives or cut tors arecontrolled is also greatly simplified. In its preferred construction thesevering device embodies a movable cutter projecting axially from ahorizontal shaft and provided with a vertical and a horizontal knife,said knives of the movable cutter being cooperable with fixed verticaland horizontal knives. The horizontal shaft is adapted to be rotatedforwardly so as to carry the movable knives past the fixed knives ateach operation of the machine. For this purpose the shaft on which themovable cutter is mounted is normally locked against movement, but maybe released by the deposit of a coin in the machine. When the shaft isreleased, it may be operated manually in such manner that the movableknives will be carried past the severing point, and effect severance ofan article from the lowermost row of articles supported by the drum. Anincomplete forward rotation of the shaft will result in the parts beinglocked in such position that the movement must be completed before themachine will be again locked and before another coin can be brought intoposition to operate the releasing mechanism. With this construction, itbecomes practically impossible to manipulate the machine in such manneras to cause the delivery or severance of a second article before thecomplete delivery of the article which should have been delivered by thefirst operation of the machine. The mechanism for accomplishing theseresults is of an exceedingly simple character, but at the same time theparts thereof are so constructed that a false operation of the machineis practically impossible.

Referring particularly to the drawings, it will be noted that from abase casing 1, a drum 2 projects upwardly, said drum being substantiallycylindrical in form and extending downwardly a short distance into thebase casing 1, through an opening 3 in the top wall of the latter. Thedrum 2 is inclosed within an upper casing 4 preferably provided with atransparent wall 5 and removably mounted on the base casing. Forsecuring the upper casing in position 011 the base casing suitable clips6 may be provided in the top of the base casing, which clips are adaptedto be rotated into engagement with the lower horizontal annular flange 7of the upper casing, in the manner shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3.The drum 2 is journaled on a vertical axis or rod 8 supported upon thebottom of the base casing and said drum constitutes a vertical supportfor the sheet of connected articles orstamps adapted to be severedindividually in succession upon each operation of the machine in amanner to be described hereinafter. The sheet is adapted to be feddownwardly upon the drum by gravity through the medlum of any suitablepressure means, preferably, however, by the weight of a clamping deviceslidably mounted for axial movement on the drum.

The clamping device is adapted to retain the upper horizontal edge ofthe'sheet of connected articles, for example, the upper horizontal blankmargin of a sheet of stamps, and as each horizontal row of the stampsofthe sheet is severed, after successive operations of the machine, theclamping device causes the sheet to descend on the drum in order toposition a fresh horizontal row of stamps for severing and delivery. Theclamping device includes in its construction a substantially ring-likemember 9, slidably mounted on the drum, the ring being split and theopposite vertical edges 10 thereof spaced apart, as shown, but connectedtogether toward their upper ends by means of a horizontal connectingstrip 11. Formed on the drum is a vertically extending flanged strip 12,the opposite vertical flanges 13 of which are spaced from the peripheralsurface of the drum, as shown in Fig. 3. Said strip 12 may be secured inany preferred manner to the vertically-extending laterallyprojectingflanged portions 1% of the cylindrical wall of the drum, and the flangeslat form stops or abutments against which the opposite vertical edges ofa sheet of stamps may engage, when the sheet is wrapped around the drum.The vertical strip 12 constitutes a guideway for the ring 9 of theclamping device, and prevents the latter from rotary movement relativelyto the drum, although permitting axial movement of the ring. For thispurpose, the horizontal connecting piece 11 is provided with oppositeinwardly extending inner flanged aortion 11 which are respectively adatec to underlap the opposite flanges 13 of tie vertical strip 12. Hingedto the opposite vertical edges of the connecting piece 11 aresubstantially semi-cylindrical clamping members 15 which are adapted toswing outwardly on their hinges to permit the wrapping of the sheet ofstamps around the ring 9 and the clamping device. In order to secure thesheet of stamps to the ring 9, the semi-cylindrical hingedmembers 15 maybe swung inwardly on their hinges, and locked together by a springclamping means consisting, in the present embodiment, of a coil spring16 secured to one of the members 15 and provided with a lug 17 at itsouter end which may be inserted into a hook 18 formed on the othermember. If desired, the ring 9 may be provided with a roughened outersurface preferably attained by securing a strip of abrasive materialsuch as sand paper, for

example, to the outer surface of the ring.

With this construction a sheet of stamps secured to the ring by thehinged members 15 willbe effectually prevented from slipping around thering.

Pivotally mounted on the upper end of the drum 2 is a retaining member19 consisting of a suitable horizontal strip located above the drum andprovided with hooks 20 which are respectively adapted to engage pins 21projecting from the ring 9 and connecting piece 11, for maintaining theclamping device in elevated position when wrapping a sheet of stampsaround the drum. The latter operation may be readily effected byremoving the upper casing 4L and swinging the hinged clamping members 15to open position, then wrapping the sheet around the ring 9, with theopposite edges of the sheet so positioned as to engage the flangedportions projecting radially from the cy1indrical wall oft-he drum. Thesheet will also be so positioned that the top horizontal line ofperforations between the upper row of stamps and the blank margin islocated somewhat beneath the lower edge of the ring 9, and will besecurely fastened on the ring by closing the hinged members 15 andsecuring them in closed position by means of the spring clamp abovedescribed.

After the sheet has been thus secured to the clamping device it isessential that the retaining member 19 be released in order to permitthe clamping device to descend axially of the drum and position a newhorizontal row of stamps for severing after each row is depleted,because of previous operations of the machine. For releasing theretaining member 19, it is provided with an upwardly inclined arm 22,which is engaged by the top of the upper casing 4, when the latter ismounted in position over the. drum. The engagement of thetop of theupper casing with said upstanding arm 22 will move the hooks 20 of theretaining member in such manner as to release them from the pins 21 andthereby permit the clamping device to fall by gravity as occasionrequires. When the uppercasing is removed, the retaining member 19 movesby gravity into locking position.

Positioned beneath the lower end of the rotary drum 2 is a horizontaltable 23 secured in any preferred manner to the side walls of the basecasing and provided with a slot 24. in which works a. rotary cutter 25.The horizontal table 2-3 is spaced from the lower edge of the rotarydrum a distance substantially equaling the vertical dimension of a stampin the'sheet, and the bottom row of stamps is located between I thelower edge of the rotary drum and the table '23. The cutter 25 projectsradially from a horizontal shaft 26 journaled in the side plates ofthebase casing and is adaptedto be rotated forwardly to sever anindividual stamp from the sheet of stamps positioned between the loweredge of the drum and the table. Secured to the cutter 25 are a verticalknife 25 and a horizontal top knife 25, which knives cooperate withfixed knives when the cutter is moved past the severing point in theoperation of the shaft 26. The horizontal fixed knife 205 is securedbeneath a horizontal supporting bar 206 extending between the side wallsof the base casing and the vertical fixed knife 207 is secured to a bar208 depending from said horizontal supporting bar 206. On forwardmovement of the shaft, the rotary cutter severs the end stamp of thelowermost row of stamps and throws the stamp forward into a deliverychute which will be hereinafter described.

For operating the shaft 26 it is provided near its right hand end withan operating lever 27, the latter having its inner end 27 of a disk-likeformation where it surrounds the shaft and its outer end 28, whichprojects through a slot 29 in the front wall of the base casing, in theform of a finger piece adapted to be depressed at each operation of themachine. Pivotally mounted on the disk-like inner end 27 of theoperating lever is a locking pawl 80 having its forward end 81counterweighted and its rear end provided with a locking hook orshoulder 32 which is adapted to engage a locking projection 33 securedto the right-hand side wall of the base casing. Preliminary to theoperation of the shaft, the rear end of the locking pawl must bedepressed against the action of its counterweight in order to releasesaid rear end from the locking pro jection. In the present embodimentthis is preferably accomplished by the introduction of coin into themachine. The coin is introduced through a coin slot 34 in the top of thebase casing and travels thence down an incline 35 onto a ledge 36 formedon the rear end of the locking pawl to depress the latter and releasethe hook of said looking pawl from. engagement with the lockingprojection. If the coin be of light weight, it passes oil the ledge ofthe locking pawl through a discharge opening 38 at the rear end of thecoin deposit chute and thence through a return chute 39 whichcommunicates at its forward end with a discharge slot 40 in the frontwall of the base casing, whereby a coin of light weight may be returnedto the person to whom it belongs.

Assuming that the locking pawl is released by the deposit of a coin ofproper denomination in the machine, the operating lever may bedepressedand in its forward movement it will operate the cutter to sever a stampfrom the bottom row of stamps located above the horizontal table. Duringthe forward movement of the cutter the coin drops off the ledge'36 atthe rear end of the locking pawl and falls through a chute 41 into asuitable storage receptacle 42 in the bottom of the fixed casing. Aspring 43 secured at one end to the disk-like portion of the operatinglever and at the other end tothe bottom of the base casing acts toreturn the shaft and cutter to normal position.

Near the bottom of the drum the sheet of stamps passes within clampingmembers consisting preferably of a pair of ring-like members 44pivotally mounted at their proximate ends on a supporting ring 45secured to the drum and connected together by a coil spring 46 whichacts to urge the clamping members 44 toward the surface of the drum andthereby clamp the sheet above the lowermost row which is being severedby successive operations of the cutter.

In order to advance each stamp of the lower row of stamps into the pathof the cutter into position for being severed on forward movement of thelatter, provision is made whereby astep by step movement may be impartedto the drum, a one-step advance of the drum being suflicient to feed asingle stamp of the bottom row into "the path of the cutter. Thisfeeding movement is preferably effected while the operating shaft andthe cutter are being returned to their normal position, and may beaccomplished by means of the following instrumentalities:Secured to thevertical shaft or axis 8 of the rotary drum 2 is a ratchet preferablyconstructed in the form of a disk 47 disposed in a substantiallyhorizontal plane and provided with a plurality of detents 48corresponding in number to the number of stamps in the lowermosthorizontal row of stamps mounted on the drum. In the present machine thedetents 48 are ten in number, as the machine has a capacity for tenvertical rows of stamps on' the drum 2. The detents 48 are disposed in acircular path about the disk 47 and are in the form of slots cut fromthe material forming the disk. The edge of each slotis cut in suchmanner as to provide an outer angular projection 49 extending inwardlywith respect to the periphery of the disk and having its opposite edges49 converging to a point 49 Said angular projection 49 constitutes astop which forms one member of a means for arresting the movement of theratchet when a stamp of the lowermost row of stamps has been positionedin the path of the cutter'25. The ratchet 47 is held at all timesagainst rotation in one direction, 2'. 6., toward the left as viewed inFig. 8, by means of a stop pawl consisting of a spring arm 50 secured tothe left hand side wall of the base casing and adapted to engage in .anyone of the several detents 48.

Secured to the main operating shaft 26 is a depending arm 51 andpivotally mounted on the lower end of the arm 51 is an operating pawl 52provided at its rear or inner end with a hook 53 adapted to engage inany one of the slots or detents of the ratchet 47. The forward end ofsaid operating powl is connected to the horizontal supportingbar 206 bymeans of a coil spring 54 which functions to normally depress the rearend of the operating pawl and maintain the hook 53 thereof within one ofthe detents or slots 48, in the; manner shown in the drawings. Onforward movement of the main operating shaft 26, i. 6., whenever theoperating lever 27 is depressed, the depending arm 51 is rotatedrearwardly and the'hook 53 of the operating pawl 52 is thereby moved outof engagementl with one of the detents or slots 48 in which the hook waspositioned prior to the forward rotation of the operating shaft 26.During the release movement of the operating shaft, however, thedepending' arm 51 is rotated forwardly thereby imparting a forwardmovement to the operating pawl 52. The spring 54 serves to depress thelower end of the operating pawl 52, thereby causing the hook 53 to enterthe next detent or slot 48 of the disk 47, and as the return movement ofthe main shaft progresses, the engagement of the operating pawl 52 withthe detent of the ratchet causes the latter to advance one step. lVhilethe ratchet is being advanced, it will be notedthat the pro-jections 49are traveling in a circular path and consequently at the end of themovement of the ratchet the projection 49 of the slot receiving the hook53 will engage the side of the operating pawl, thereby arresting themovement of the ratchet, and also the rotary feeding drum 2. This servesto prevent the stamp which has been advanced into the path of the cutterfrom being thrown out of proper alinement through momentum due to arotation of the drum 2. After a one-step movement of the drum has beeneffected in the above set forth manner, the drum is locked againstforward rotationby means of the engagement of the angular walls 49, ofthe detent with the hook 53 of the operating pawl. The pawl 50 prevent-sreverse rotation at all times.

The sheet being clamped immediately above the cutter by means of theclamping members 44, hereinbefore referred to, a'full row of articles orstamps may be removed upon successive operations of the shaft 26 andthen the clamping members 44 must be released in order that the sheetmay feed downwardly to permit another row of stamps to be removed. Thisis accomplished by normally holding the clamps in clamps,

ing position by the spring 46 and, immediately after the cutter hasremoved the last stamp from the previous row, causing the clampingmembers 44 to be spread apart against the tension of their spring by aclamp releasing member 55 pivotally mounted on the fixed ring 45 andpositioned between the free ends of the clamping members 44. During thereturn movement incident to the severing of the last article from thelowermost row of stamps, a one-step bers 44 be permitted to resume theirnormal clamping position. For this purpose the rod 56 is pivotallymounted on a suitable depending supporting bar 57 and is adapted to bemoved out of engagement with the clamp releasing member 55 before thecutter 25 has reachedthe severing point. Pivoted to the lower end ofsaid rod 56 is a horizontal bar 58 provided at its inner end with atooth 59 adapted to be engaged by a lug 60 carried by the shaft 26. Aspring 61 connecting the forward end of the bar 58 with the supportingbar 57 normally maintains the tooth 59 of the horizontal bar 58 inengagement with the lug 60 of the shaft. On forward movement of theshaft a slight rearward pull is transmitted to the horizontal bar 58which likewise shifts the projection of the rod 56 forwardly so as todisene gage said projection from the clamp releasing member 55. As theforward movement of the operating shaft 26 progresses the lug 60 movesout of-the tooth 59 and the spring 61 returns the horizontal bar 58 andthe rod 56 back to normal position. Before this has occurred, however,the spring 46 connecting the clamping members 44 has restored them toclamping position. In order to prevent an overthrow of the clampreleasing member 55, when the latter moves into engagement with theprojection of the rod 56, the clamp releasing member is slotted, asshown at 62,

wise tampering with the parts, before a complete operation of themachine has been effected. For this purpose a slide 65 is providedhaving an opening 66 adapted normally to register with the coin slot, 5.6., when the said operating lever is depressed,

' the slide being held in such registering position by the leverengaging the vertical cam edge 67 of the slide, so as to cause theopening 66 of the slide to register with the coin deposit slot. When,however, the operating lever 27 is moved forwardly in the manipulationof the machine to sever and discharge a stamp, a spring 68 connectingthe slide with the horizontal bar 206 moves the latter so as to move theopening or slot 66 out of registry with the coin deposit slot. Thus,whenever the operating lever is moved away from its position of rest,the movement of the lever carries it out of engagement with the cam edge67 of the slide permitting the spring 68 to act and close the coindeposit slot.

The invention also provides a mechanism for closing the coin depositslot against the deposit of a coin when the supply of stamps mounted onthe drum has been exhausted and the machine will be incapable ofoperation until the supply has been replenished. Pivoted at 69 on thehorizontal supporting bar 206 is a gate 70 provided with an upstandingprojection 71, the latter having a cam face 72. Mounted on the clampingdevice which secures the upper edge of the sheet of stamps, is a pin 7 3which, of course, descends as the sheet of stamps becomes depleted owingto successive operations of the machine. When the-last stamp of the lastrow has been removed, the one step movement imparted to the drumincident to the return movement of the operating lever moves the pin 73into engagement with the cam face of the gate and thereby shifts thelatter beneath the coin deposit slot and closes the slot against thedeposit of a coin. When the supply of stamps has been replenished. thegate may be moved manually to open the slot.

In the manipulation of the machine should the person operating the lever27 fail to depress the same the full distance necessary for severing astamp and permitting the operat ing lever to return to its normalposition under the influence of its return spring, there will be dangerof the locking pawl becoming engaged with the locking shoulder 33, thuspreventing subsequent movement of the operating lever so as to completethe movement of the shaft. In order to overcome this dificulty there isfixed to the left hand side plate of the base casing a rack bar 74having on one edge a series of downwardly projecting teeth 75 and on itsopposite side a series of upwardly projecting teeth 76. Pivotallysuspended from an upstanding arm 77 securedto the shaft is a pawl 78provided at its lower end with a stud 79 which is adapted to engage theteeth ceedingly efficient in operation.

of the rack bar. The stud 79 is pressed into engagement with said teethby means of a spring 80 encircling the rack bar and bearing against saidstud. lVith the above described construction, the stud 79 and the pawlmay move downwardly only on one side of the rack bar, 2'. 0., on the sice having the downwardly projecting teeth 75, and may only move upwardlyon the other side of the rack bar, 6., 011 the side having the upwardlyprojecting teeth 76. During the forward movement of the operating leverthe stud 79 is in engagement with the downwardly projecting teeth while,during the releasing movement of the operating lever, said stud is inengagement with the upwardly projecting teeth of the rack bar. Hence, anincomplete forward as well as an incomplete return movement of theoperating lever will, through the engagement of the stud with the teethof the rack bar, lock the operating lever against movement in theopposite direction at the wrong time, and, as a result, the operatinglever must be depressed the entire distance before it can be againreturned to normal position.

Provision is made for operating a register each time a stamp or stampsis delivered. For this purpose the upstanding arm 77 of the shaft 26 isadapted normally to engage a register operating arm 81 andretain thesame in a position which, when the arm 81 is released, will permit thelatter to operate a register 82. When the upstanding arm 77 is loweredincident to the forward movement of the shaft, the register operatingarm is released and actuates the register one space or one unit. Duringthe return movement of the shaft the register operating arm is restoredby the arm 7 to position for actuating the register on the nextoperation of the machine.

The above'described construction provides an apparatus for severing anddelivering stamps which is of large capacity and is ex- For example, byfeeding the stamps into the path of the cutter at each operation of themachine, the cutting mechanism, as well as the coin cont-rolledmechanism, is greatly simplified. The feeding and supporting drum forthe sheet of stamps may be enlarged without materially increasing thedimensions of the machine and the capacity increased to 'a great extent.For example, the drum may be constructed so as to be capable ofsupporting around its cylindrical wall a number of sheets arrangeddiametrically opposite to each other or in quadrature.

When a stamphas been severed it is carried forward by the cutter anddeposited in asuitable discharge chute 83 formed in the and laterallyextending cuttin blades co-- operable with said fixed cutter forsevering an article from a sheet of articles connected to one anotherlongitudinally and laterally of the sheet, means for advancing saidmovable cutter past the fixed cutter to sever an article from saidsheet, means for returning the movable cutter to normal position, andfeeding means actuated after an article has been severed for advancingthe sheet of articles to position an article of the sheet in the path ofthe movable cutter.

2. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of afixed'cutter, a single movable cutter having longitudinally andlaterally extending cutting blades coop'erable with said fixed cutterfor severing an article from a sheet of articles connected to oneanother longitudinally and laterally of the sheet, means for advancingsaid movable cutter past the fixed cutter to sever an article from saidsheet, feeding means actuated after an article has been severed foradvancing the sheet of articles to position an article of the sheet inthe path of the movable cutter, and means for positively arresting themovement of said feeding means when the article has been advanced in thepath of the movable cutter.

3. In a vending machine of the class de scribed, the combination of afixed cutter, a single movable cutter having longitu dinally andlaterally extending cutting blades cooperating with said fixed cutterfor severing an article froma sheet of articles connected to one anotherlongitudinally and laterally of the sheet, normally inoperative meansreleasable by the deposit of a coin in the machine for advancing saidmovable cutter past the fixed cutter to sever an article fromsaid'sheet, and feeding means actuated during each operation of themovable cutter for advancing the sheet of articles'to position anarticle of the sheet in the path of the movable cutter.

4.111 a vending machine of the class described, the combination of amovable member for supporting a sheet of connected articles, a fixedcutter, a movable cutter cooperating with said fixed cutter for severingan article from the sheet of connected articles, means for advancingsaid movable cutter past the fixed cutter to sever an article from thesheet, means for returning the movable cutter to normal position, and

means for moving the sheet supporting 7 member during the returnmovementlncident toeach operation of the movable cutter for advancing the sheetof articles to position an article of the sheet in the path of themovable cutter.

5. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of afixed cutter, a movable cutter cooperable with said fixed cutter forsevering an article from a sheet of connected articles, means foradvancing said movable cutter past the fixed cutter to sever an articlefrom said sheet, a rotary drum for supporting the sheet of connectedarticles and movable step by step to advance an article of the sheetinto the path of the movable cutter, and means for lmparting a one stepmovement to said drum during each operation of the movable cutter.

6. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of afixed cutter, a movable cutter cooperable with said fixed cutter forsevering an article from a sheet of connected articles, means foradvancing said movable cutter past the fixed cutter to sever an articlefrom said sheet, means for returning the movable cutter to normalposition, a rotary drum for supporting the sheet of connected articlesand movable step by step to advance an article of the sheet into thepath of the movable cutter, and means for imparting a one step movementto said drum during the return movement incident to each operation ofthe movable cutter.

7. The combination with a movable cutter mounted on a horizontal axisfor severing an individual article from a sheet containing rows ofconnected articles', of a drum rotata bly mounted on a vertical axis forsupporting the sheet of connected articles and movable step by step toadvance the articles of the lowermost row of the sheet individually intothe path of the movable cutter, means for imparting a one step movementto said drum during each operation of the movable cutter, and meansmovable axially on the drum when all the articles of the lowermost rowhave been severed for feeding the sheet to advance another row ofarticles into position for successive advancement into the path of thecutter.

8. The combination with a movable cutter mounted on a horizontal axisfor severing an individual article from a sheet containing rows ofconnected articles, of a drum rotatably mounted on a vertical axis forsupporting the sheet of connected articles and movable step by step toadvance the articles of the lowermost row of the sheet individually intothe path of the movable cutter, means for imparting a one step movementto said drum during each operation of the movable cutter, means movableby gravity on the drum when all the articles of the lowermost row havebeen severed for feeding the sheet to advance another row of articlesinto position for successive advancement into the path .of the cutter,and guiding means on the drum for preventing rotary movement of saidgravital feeding means relatively to the drum, .while permitting axialmovement of the gravital feeding means.

9. The combination with a movable cutter mounted on a horizontal axisfor severing an individual article from a sheet containing rows ofconnected articles, of a drum rotatably mounted on a vertical axis forsupporting the sheet of connected articles and movable step by step toadvance the articles of the lowermost row of the sheet individually intothe path of the movable cutter, a clamping device movable axially on thedrum for clamping the sheet above the upper row of articles. a removablecasing adapted to surround the drum and means releasable when theremovable casing is positioned on the drum for locking said clampingdevice in position at the upper end of the drum.

10. The combination of a movable cutter mounted on a horizontal axis forsevering an individual article from a sheet containing rows of connectedarticles, of a drum rotatably mounted on a vertical axis for supportingthe sheet ofconnected articles and movable step by step to advance thearticles of the lowermost row of the sheet individually into the path ofthe movable cutter, means for imparting a one step movement to said drumduring each operation of the movable cutter, means for clamping thesheet above the lower row of articles, means movable axially on the drumfor feeding the sheet by gravity when said clamping means is released,and means for releasing said clamping means when the last article of thelowermost row of articles is severed.

11. The combination of a movable cutter mounted on a horizontal axis forsevering an individual article from a sheet containing rows of connectedarticles, of a drum rotatably mounted on a vertical axis for supportingthe sheet of connected articles and movable step by step to advance thearticles of the lowermost row of the sheet individually into the path ofthe movable cutter, means for imparting a one step movement to said drumduring each operation of the movable cutter, means for clamping thesheet above the lower row of articles, means movable axially on the drumfor feeding the sheet by gravity when said clamping means is released,means for releasing said clamping means when the last article of thelowermost row of articles is severed, and means for restoring saidclamping means to clamping position during the next operation of themovable cutter and before the latter has been advanced into severingposition.

12. The combination with a movable cutter adapted to sever an articlefrom a sheet of connected articles, means for operating said cutter, arotatable drum for supporting the sheet of connected articles andmovable step by step to advance the articles of the sheet individuallyinto the path of the movable cutter, and means for imparting a one stepmovement to said drum during each operation of the movable cutter,including a ratchet movable with the drum and provided with a pluralityof detents, each formed with a stop, a pawl for engaging one of thedetents of said ratchet to impart a one step movement to the drum, saidstop being engageable with said pawl to limit the movement of theratchet and drum, and a connection between the pawl and the cutteroperating means for actuating said pawl during the return movement ofthe cutter.

13. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of amovable mem'ber adapted to support a sheet of connected articles, afixed cutter, a movable cutter cooperable with said fixed cutter,operating mechanism for advancing the movable cutter past the fixedcutter, to sever an article from the sheet of connected articles,

and connections between the movable cutter operating mechanism and sheetsupporting members for actuating the latter during each operation of themovable cutter to ad- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for Vancethe sheet of articles to position an article of the sheet in the path ofthe movable cutter.

14. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of afixed cutter, a

15. In a vending machine of the class 7 described, the combination of afixed cutter, a movable cutter having longitudinally and laterallyextending cutting blades adapted to be advanced past said fixed cutterfor severing an article from a sheet of articles connected to oneanother longitudinallyand laterally of the sheet and feeding meansadapted to advance the sheet of articles after one article has beensevered to position another article of the sheet in the path of themovable cutter.

VV'ILLIAM G. TEMPLETON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. G. e

